Senior cops order three probes into killing of teenager

WITHIN four days three probes have been ordered by senior police officers into the controversial killing of Carenage teenager Sherman Monsegue. Sherman, 18, was shot dead around 1.30 pm  on the beachfront, a short distance from his Schuller St, Carenage, home last Wednesday by officers of the Western Division Task Force. The policemen claimed Monsegue and another man shot at them. Angry residents claimed Sherman was murdered in “cold blood” by the police, and called for an investigation. Within four hours Assistant Commissioner of Police Winston Cooper announced that an investigation would be held and named Insp. Nancis Cadette to carry out that investigation.

One hour later Ag Commissioner of Police Glen Roach announced another probe and named another independent investigator to make sure there was impartiality. Four days later Commissioner of Police Trevor Paul, who returned from overseas on the weekend announced yet another probe. Superintendent Errol Dillon is the Commissioner’s choice to investigate the shooting. Residents have since held two noisy protests calling for an independent probe into the shooting. Further investigations revealed that the shells found at the scene of the shooting did not correspond to the guns they were alleged to have been shot from. Also, to date, the guns have not been handed over to the investigator and 24 hours after the shooting the original investigator did not receive the firearms.

Kurt Holder, who was with Monsegue at the time of the shooting and who police had held after the shooting claiming he had shot at them has since been released with no charges. He has gone on to deny having any guns and asked the question, “Why was I released if I shot at the police and they claimed I had a gun? When contacted yesterday, police told Newsday their investigations had hit a wall because people were not talking. Residents expressed to this newspaper that they feared for their lives because certain officers whom they claimed are “rogue and corrupt cops” would make their lives miserable if they said what they knew. “More will be killed for speaking up. It is time the Government or Commissioner of Police get these people out of the Service altogether.” Efforts to later contact Commissioner Paul and Ag Commissioner Roach were futile. ACP Cooper however said despite the refusal of residents to cooperate the investigations were continuing.